A Long Week

Literally a Long Week for Lisa

Since the Friday before (September 19th) was "Pay Day" and thus everyone got out early - they caught up this past week by having classes run a half hour longer each day. Plus they started each day with an assembly - so the week seemed much much longer to Lisa. It was a "reading" week and that included among other things a read-a-thon - with lots of time in class spent reading. Some learners thought that was cool - others were not so pleased by it all. But one way or another she got through the week!

 

10th Grade Farewell Party/Dance

Last night Lisa was the unofficial photographer for the 10th Grade Farewell Party. (not everyone goes on to High School - grades 11 and 12 there) She decided she didn't really like the role of photographer because all you do is take pictures - you can't really enjoy the party!

She used her own camera and she thinks one of the teachers can get prints made for the kids. If so we asked very nicely (though very insistently) that she try and get a few prints and mail them to us! Since she has only written us once since going to Africa and that was from Mozambique before she headed to Namibia - we think she should be able to figure out how to send us a print or two. (enough Mommy rant  -GRIN- ) Must remember we can speak to her every week - must remember she sometimes sends a brief e-mail, but I want pictures!!!!!

She was asked to give the prayer over the dinner and among other points she thanked the plants and animals that were part of the meal - sort of a puzzlement to everyone - but they're getting used to Lisa's quirky approach to such things. For whatever reason she often gets asked to provide such prayers/blessings. I guess either she does a good job or nobody else wants to do it!  -GRIN-

 

Following the Rules Would be Helpful to All

A PCV went off on a 3 week vacation out of country without telling anyone, which is a strict no no. I mean this is a biggie! Peace Corps Volunteers are not to leave their sites without requesting permission from someone or other in the Peace Corps Hierarchy - EVER - . And leaving the country to boot was not a good thing. This is Africa after all - and Peace Corps really wants to keep everyone safe!

The reasoning behind this PCV's trip away hasn't been made clear. He may have just needed a break and may have "forgotten" to notify PC headquarters - but it wasn't a good move on his part. All Lisa knows is that  all the PCVs were sent text messages asking if they knew where said PCV might be.

Lisa spent a lot of time bemoaning how other people's actions can have great repercussions on others - ie. the terrorists not only committed acts of terror - but now airline security is tougher and it makes flying less convenient (and more expensive) for everyone. It also impinged on our rights of privacy and in general made the country feel even less safe. She hopes this PCVs action doesn't add too many layers of paperwork to getting around Namibia. (though she really does empathize with the desire to get away for a bit)

 

Library Tales

Her home library is still being actively used by the Hostel kids - and Lisa is learning how hard it is to keep track of who has what book when they mob her and return books and take new ones all in a mad rush! She's decided she currently has too informal a system to keep track of who has which book and she's trying to organize her system a bit to create better records etc.

Her main comment was "Everything is harder than you think" to which I replied (because I'm a mommy I just had to) "But you can handle more than you think" She both appreciated and didn't appreciate my comment (GRIN).

For those that are keeping track - she's finished reading her 70th book! And though she isn't pleased with the results - she's working on writing her second story since hitting Africa.

 

Current Events on Our Side of the Pond

We chatted about the Presidential Nominee Debate last night and how neither Obama or McCain blew it nor hit total home runs. And that neither really dealt with the economy - considering the fall out on Wall Street all week.

Her determination is that Wall Street doesn't read - in books when you gamble everything you eventually wind up broke, on the street, without hope - until an opportunity to redeem yourself comes along. They have the broke part down - but she doesn't think they get the redemption part. I reminded her that Wall Street has had longer to get into trouble than the average book provides.

 

Odds and Ends

She received a package of magazines we sent her. She's one quarter of the way through the term - and she's hoping for a change of classes for next year (she'd really like to pass Agriculture on to someone else  -GRIN-) All the teachers are supposed to be creating Course outlines for all their classes - Lisa just hopes that doesn't mean they get to keep exactly the same courses. Ahh well - she'll see how it shakes out.

 

Have a good week everyone!

Susan Rothman

"They Rocked!"

Lisa's School "Rocked" this week

I called Lisa today since her Grandparents are due in for a visit this weekend and I wasn't sure if we'd be able to get in touch with her tomorrow and boy did she sound excited. Remember last week's post when I listed all those competitions her school was participating in? Well as Lisa put it they "rocked". A learner received a bronze medal at the National Science Fair in Windhoek, One of the learners got the Gold in the Regional Spelling Bee in Keetmanshoop (the competition involving lots of private schools as well as public ones), and in that Shell Environmental Science Competition one pair of learners received $200 each and another pair of learners received $100 each.

Her school is proud but Lisa is on cloud nine - she is so excited that these learners have earned these awards - and she hopes they give the rest of the kids inspiration for trying out for such competitions - at least to win trips to Keetmanshoop or Windhoek, prize money, and "fame" in school. These opportunities will also give them the chance to see that the world is bigger than Aroab and that they actually might be able to do well enough in school to get jobs beyond it's town limits.

 

It's Not Easy Being a Librarian - But It's So Much Fun!

She got several packages this past week including one from us with a lot of children's books. She added these books to her "Library Box" in her place and discovered how hard it is to run a library from your home. The kids from the Hostel went on a "feeding frenzy" - it was amazing to see 30 or so kids grabbing books from the box - then sitting down and reading them.

The sight of all those kids reading on her floor was beautiful. A really warm and fuzzy moment for her. Who knows - she might consider Library Science as a career if teaching doesn't grab her! - Oh, since she's reading these children's books too, her reading total is now 65 and counting. I think it's fair to count everything she reads since she counts long novels or plays like Hamlet as one book - counting a kid's book to balance seems a fair deal.

 

Drama Club

Her Drama Club got off to a rocky start - half the kids walked out during the first meeting Monday - but another teacher (who teaches Life Skills) who is very motivated to get involved had a few suggestions and the week got better as it went on. While the learners had done skits before the idea of scripts and learning parts for a whole play vs being spontaneous was confusing so they're going to step back and take the idea more slowly. The idea now is to try a few one act plays - short ones - and then when all the basics have been picked up by the learners they'll build up to working on The Wizard of Oz play.

So that went from giving her a sense of failure to one of tentative success. She was thinking back to the plays she was involved in from fourth grade and up and realized that everyone involved had at least the concept of what a play was - that base isn't present in her school so she just has to get down to more basic elements - I think things will work out for her in the long run.

 

Other Mail

Lisa also got a box filled with liquids from us (shampoo, lotions, sunscreen etc.) and I'm glad I went overboard of wrapping each in zillions of plastic zip lock bags after taping their tops securely closed. A few leaked - but just within their plastic houses so they didn't gunk up other items. That was good - "good versions" of shampoo etc are such a treat but they can't be mailed with paper or books or anything that will be wrecked if they leak. So score one for Mom's wrapping skills!

She also got a cool package from her Grandmother with magazines and cough drops (which she still needs - blast these never ending colds!) and an Obama bumper sticker which she loves! I guess the O is a peace sign and there are other cute bits about it (which I forget to write down in my notes while chatting with Lisa - ah well) and anyhow I guess it's really a rather clever design. Thank you Grandma!

NOTE:

If you send a package or box to Lisa please try and let me know so I can ask Lisa to keep her eye out for it - She tries to let us know when we call of anything she receives so I can let the senders know - but if you've sent her anything and haven't heard from me - let me know - she thinks she's received everything that has been sent to her but that may not be the case. Several PCVs have posted in their blogs that packages haven't arrived but they didn't realize it till someone asked them about it! It usually takes from 2 to 4 weeks from the US but one package from Canada took a good deal longer to arrive!

 

Life is Complicated for Everyone

Lisa keeps in touch with several PCVs and one in particular is going through a rough patch - I gather there was a murder in her town - Lisa isn't sure who murdered who - but it brought a lot of anger and frustration to a head. The PCV is caught in the middle between Teachers and Administrators and it's not easy. I gather said PCV has a Masters in Education but these issues weren't covered in her coursework! So Lisa listens and gives her support - just as said PCV has given Lisa support in the past. We often forget how problems between factions at work are so much harder when there is a language and cultural barrier.

I wish the PCV all the luck in the world. It just reminds one how challenging serving in the Peace Corps can be.

 

Who Knows - Lisa's Vote may Count!

Lisa heard that there was some sort of form waiting for her in Keetmanshoop which as she understands it - is a ballet that can be submitted in a Peace Corps or some sort of Federal pouch when someone who is connected to the government (Peace Corps counts) has applied for an Absentee Ballet and you know it won't arrive in time to be completed and returned.

This is how she explained it - do not ask me for more info - I do not have any idea what it all means other than that she has a chance to get her vote for President counted. She had trouble getting the forms in time when she was in college in DC and really had little hope that it would work out from Namibia so this system sounds great to her! I'll let you know how it works out.

 

Odds and Ends

I gather there is some big goings on tomorrow night (Saturday) I sort of lost track what exactly - but it's something to get Lisa out and about in Aroab. And she and I talked about the election, the financial meltdown, and how information sometimes takes a long time to trickle through to Africa. Sometimes she thinks it's a blessing that she isn't glued to a computer or TV dealing with the news 24/7. Of course she quickly states that she'd manage to cope if the electronics fairy gave her a computer with Internet tomorrow - don't want to jinx any potential miracles (GRIN)

 

If I get new info tomorrow I'll post again - otherwise same web site new adventures next week!

 

Susan Rothman

September Doldrums

Lisa Was Experiencing the Doldrums when we Called

It was a bland sort of day. But she perked up when she started to tell us about her pig hunting adventures, her new drama class, and how one of her learners did at the National Science Fair Competition.

 

Here Piggy Piggy

In an attempt to teach her learners about raising Hogs - Lisa took her 8th and 9th graders on a field trip during class with the hope of seeing some pigs before they were taken to their owner's farm yesterday. She and the 60 plus learners wandered about for an hour or so in search of said pigs - but they couldn't find them. Oh well - she isn't sure if the pigs were moved early or if this was a plot by some of her learners to get out of class and lead her on a "wild pig chase" (GRIN). Since this material isn't covered in the textbook but is in the curriculum she tried thinking outside the box (outside the pen?) in order to get some info for them. It was worth a try. Not all plans work out the way we'd like in life.

 

Drama Club

Well it is true - no good suggestion goes unpunished. At the staff meeting the general theme was "We must have more clubs - we need to have more clubs - there have to be more clubs in order to keep the children out of trouble after school" Lisa suggested a Drama Club and . . .

Monday she's starting an after school Drama Club for the 8th and 9th graders. They'll be trying to put together a production of The Wizard of Oz in three acts - from a version for kids that her Grandmother sent her. This version simplifies things - ie no tornado (which is just as well, though somehow I could see the learners enjoying the tossing of paper and furniture to provide the stormy effect!)

And while the learners have put on skits before they haven't really used scripts with line learning and costumes and scenery etc before. Should be very interesting. After 9 years of doing plays at Mohonasen with Dr Gray she thinks she can pull this off!

Another teacher has shown interest in helping her and Lisa really hopes he does since sexist or not - guys really tend to listen to male teachers more than female ones who try and keep them on task. (not counting that in addition to being a woman Lisa is white, young, and doesn't speak Afrikaans that well)

The school secretary offered to help with costumes, even though she isn't supposed to get involved in programs like this since she's not a teacher - (Ahh well - even in Namibia we must not go beyond our roles in the hierarchy I guess) She noticed Lisa making copies of the play - the copier was working!

But Lisa ran out of paper - and the ATM was down (only other place to get cash is in Keetmanshoop 90 miles away) so she couldn't get out money to buy more. What? You thought that the school would provide paper for things like this? Silly Silly Silly People - teachers have to provide their learners with paper after the very small ration they're given runs out. Remember the discussion of all that fundraising last week - without that teachers would have even fewer materials to work with! Having the copier (when it works) means she doesn't have to print everything by hand - and that's a major plus! At least I don't think she has to pay for the copies - I didn't think to ask that question.

So if you want to send her a real school supply treat  - send some colored copy paper - the regular kind we use - no funky odd sizes I guess. Pale colors - yellow, pink, cream, would be nice in case the copy machine is running light - the words could still be read. Also - if you see inexpensive packages of origami paper -that would be another real treat. For all of you who asked earlier - I'm sorry I didn't know about these particular desires till today!!!

 

More School Based Stuff

In theory later this year or next they hope to open a computer room in the school since they are supposed to offer a class on computers next term and they are supposed to be getting computers from some source or another. She's hopeful but not holding her breath. Even if the computers come there is a good chance they won't be connected to the Internet (sigh) and there is an even greater chance they'll take Lisa's room over for the computer lab and thus she'll have to wander from available room to available room (double sigh) which is how she started out. That would be unfortunate since she's really enjoyed having a classroom to call her own - where she can leave stuff etc. We'll see how it works out.

But remember folks - they were talking about getting computers last year before Lisa even got to Aroab! (GRIN)

One of her learners - Claudia - had won the regionals and won a free trip to Windhoek for the National Science Fair Competition. Claudia text messaged Lisa that she had won something at the Nationals but Lisa isn't sure what - she'll hear Monday in school most likely. Also her school's winning spelling team got a free trip to Keetmanshoop to compete in the Regional Spelling Bee - Lisa hasn't heard how they did yet. And Shell Oil sponsored the Shell Corporation's Environmental Science Competition in Keetmanshoop - I think her school sent some kids to it but I'm not sure.

All these competitions are really important in Lisa's eyes since they provide incentives for the learners to try to excel in a wide range of fields - not just sports. I mean sports are OK and they help kids expend energy but if you think it's tough becoming a pro here - it's much tougher to earn a living from sports in Aroab! Since the learners need all the motivation they can get to study and learn enough to consider jobs outside of Aroab she thinks these opportunities will help. The learners just have to know the opportunities exist!

 

World Teach

People from World Teach are coming to her school next week to see if it's a possible candidate for teacher placement. Her school requested a World Teach teacher and Lisa really hopes they get one - since it would be another teacher in the school to share the teaching load, and someone who speaks English (major major plus in Lisa's eyes). We'll just have to see how it works out.

 

Odds and Ends

Lisa has another cold - a real stuffy one - she sounded groggy and congested when we called. She's not happy about getting it after getting rid of the last one - but as teachers the world over know - the new term starts and everyone gets sick. Ahh well.

She's completed reading her 56th book since January - of course there isn't much else for her to do but read, other than school work.

And the term will go quickly since exams start on her Birthday November 11th. There will still be lots to do in November but lesson planning won't be a part of it!

No mail this week - but she heard from Erna, I believe, that there is something at the post office for her. She'll probably get the slip Monday and will be able to pick it up Tuesday. Patience grasshopper - anticipate the mail to come and enjoy the wait.

Till next week - Enjoy fall

Susan Rothman

A New Term

The Start of the Third (and final) Term of the Year

All in all it was a good week for Lisa. A few of her lessons went over very well (always a joy to a teacher). The first success was in her Agriculture Class when they discussed how how being a farmer is easier than being a nomad. (I guess you had to be there)

The second was in her Business Management class, a unit on leadership when she read them Shakespeare's St. Crispin's Day Speech from Henry V. Lisa loves that speech - she says it makes a pacifist  like her almost want to follow Henry into battle, so she thought it would be a great example of leadership - and her learners really enjoyed it too, if only because it was something a little different in class. She plans on incorporating more Shakespeare into her classes - English across the curriculum sort of stuff - and she gets happy whenever she reads the Bard.

An educational challenge has presented itself to her - in the first unit of her Agriculture  curriculum she's expected to teach them how to raise pigs in Namibia - only problem is the topic isn't covered in the text book. Hmmm. Now I gather that happens a lot with topics to be covered not showing up in the text book - but usually she has a better idea of the basic material. The other problem is that none of the other teachers have a much better idea of the material since they don't raise pigs in Aroab.  Soooo- she's found an encyclopedia article, the description in the Syllabus itself, and a clipping on how they do it in Botswana, she hopes it's similar to Namibia, beyond that she'll have to wing it.

Without the Internet or computers in general, well stocked libraries, even fairly new textbooks etc it's tough to get get the info you need as a teacher. It does however teach you how to be creative!

After the pigs she has to teach a unit on Environmental Science - that will be much easier - it's in the textbook, she knows a lot more on the topic - and most of the Scientific Americans and Discover magazines that I've sent her have loads of info on environmental issues so she has lots to draw from. Antarctica acting up and shedding ice right and left will add a nice (or not so nice) touch of current events to the discussion.

Another school based issue - Lisa has heard that the schools are very different in the North vs the South. In the North as she understands it, many of the learners are very very quiet and the challenge is to get them to speak up in class and become involved - while in the South the learners tend to be louder and more rambunctious and the challenge is to keep them in their seats listening to you. Almost like two different worlds she says. And of course when you have one kind of learner the other kind sounds  a whole lot easier to teach (GRIN)

 

Fundraising

Lisa said she feels like Namibia is the PBS pledge break education  system - always having fund drives. Unlike the image I have from travel and nature shows on cable where students who do not have the money to pay for uniforms, classroom materials, etc simply are unable to attend school, such things are handled differently - at least in Aroab. Namibia has an "Education for All" perspective, which is very uplifting when you think about it. Sort of an African "No Child Left Behind" perspective.

While everyone is expected to pay school fees and they work hard to collect them - they try to set them low enough so the learners can afford them and they make up the difference with wall to wall fundraising. Now we're not talking about raising money for field trips and band instruments - we're talking about raising money for fuel, furniture, textbooks, paper etc. The basics. In extreme cases when learners don't pay - a patch of hair is cut off. I don't think that would work well here. It doesn't happen often - but it does make a statement when it occurs.

This all came up when she described a mega dance they had last night in honor of the learner who raised the most to help the school -The learner who was honored raised $15,000 ND (approximately $2,000 US) That's a lot of fundraising. That's about what a Peace Corps Volunteer gets paid for an entire year in Namibia! Hmmm.

They had a dance for the kids first then a dance for the adults and while Lisa enjoyed it she was exhausted by the end. It was held across town so she had to wait till it was over to get a ride back to the Hostel - she could have walked it during the day - but not around 2am (which made my Mommy side happy - knowing that not walking anywhere alone at night was a no-brainier for her)

 

Creativity

Her watch died and the only replacement she could find in Aroab was much too large for her (it couldn't have died a week ago when she was in Keetmanshoop or 2 weeks ago when she was in Windhoek - noooo- ah well) So she made a belt out of twine (I knew she'd use that for something when she packed it a year ago) and she looped the watch through it - sort of creating a pocket watch effect. We'll see how long it lasts.

 

Odds and Ends

Finals are in mid-November and the last day of the term is December 5th - my Birthday! Then the new year starts January 12. But  Peace Corps does they mid-service training in the beginning of January so they may be back late to teaching. Lovely - since the late teacher gets the least desired classes for the year. We'll see how it goes.

Lisa put in a request to be one of the Volunteers who assists in the training of the new crop of education Volunteers. - but she hasn't heard back yet if they'll use her. Since the new teachers will be placed in the North they may draw more from the current teachers in the North to train them. As she says - "I'll know when I know" How true.

Lisa and Chuck chatted about the current crop of Hurricanes and why they built in the areas they did originally - talking about how the land has sunk over the years, the wetlands have been nibbled away, and all the other changes by man and by nature that have occurred that make the coast more of a target than it used to be.

We also talked about perception vs position when it comes to politics. And how presentation can either present or obscure facts. She figures her blood pressure would be higher if she was watching everything unfold day by day. She's pro Obama and is just hoping things work out for him.

 

Thank You

To Grandma for her great package! While the days are warming up very nicely - the nights are still bitter cold and the long undies were very very welcome as pj's, the seasoning mixes were super (though she longs for the fresh veggies shown on the package label - GRIN -) and she thinks the play of the Wizard of Oz will be Great for her learners!

To Laurie and Steven - the teacher in her thanks you for the school supplies, books etc, the Peace Corps Volunteer goes "Thank you, thank you, thank you" for the batteries - they are the true life savers in Namibia!

Till next week - Thank's for checking up on Lisa via this blog - and for holding her close in your thoughts!

 

Susan Rothman